Wall foundation construction involving block having mortar retention means



ay 9, 1967 E. WRIGHT 3,318,059

L. WALL FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION INVOLVING BLOCK HAVING MORTAR RETENTIONMEANS Filed May 16, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LYLE E- WRIGHT imnmmm ATTORNEY WRIGHT TRUCTI May 9, 1967 L. E. ON CONS I LVING BLOC O AEANS WALL FOUND HA G MORTAR RE'I'E 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1966INVENTOR [we Tn/e/aA/r QM ZT FERNEY United States Patent WALL FOUNDATIONCONSTRUCTION INVOLV- ING BLOCK HAVING MORTAR RETENTION MEANS Lyle E.Wright, Lanham, Md., assignor to Universal Building ProductsCorporation, Washington, DC. Filed May 16, 1966, Ser. No. 557,852 2Claims. (Cl. 52169) This application is a continuation-in-part ofapplication Ser. No. 406,689, filed October 27, 1964, now abandone-d.

This invention pertains to wall constructions formed of blocks made fromaggregate materials, such as cinder blocks, cement blocks, and the like,wherein the wall is of new and novel decorative form and is of animproved, substantially waterproof construction.

The basic object of the present invention is to supply a block for usein a wall construction, the block being of a construction such thatadjacent blocks are adapted to meet in edge to edge contact insofar asall visible portions are concerned while, at the same time, the blocksare provided with improved mortar joints.

Another object of importance resides in the provision of blocks for usein a wall construction wherein the mortar joints of the wall areconcealed and protected.

A further object of the arrangement hereof is the provision of a blockwith side and end edges arranged for flush contact with side and endedges, respectively, of adjacent blocks forming enclosures about themortar joints of the block, thereby rendering the wall constructionvirtually impregnable to the passage of water or moisture therethrough.

Yet another object is to provide decoratively faced blocks meeting inclose edge to edge contact, to provide a minute and inconspicuous jointtherebetween-giving the effect of a monolithic wall surface. In thisrespect, the invention provides an effect similar to that provided in myprior copending application Ser. No. 393,893, filed Sept. 2, 1964.

An additional and related basic objective hereof con cerns the provisionof levelling means for insuring the level horizontal alignment of theinitial course of a wall construction. In the formation of special blockconfigurations, previous proposals have been objected to on the basis ofdifiiculties involved in the levelling of the first or base course of aseries thereof. It is therefore an objective of this invention to supplya means to insure initial course levelling.

A further object is to provide a wall construction wherein mortar jointsbetween adjacent block courses are encased by the block whereby theblock courses are supported on underlying courses during erection of thewall, as opposed to conventional systems wherein the courses rest onunderlying mortar joints. In the absence of weight bearing on the mortarjoints, improved strength characteristics of the finished wall areachieved, and the walls may be constructed to any selected heightwithout delay for curing of the joints.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentto those skilled in the art from a consideration of the followingspecification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of wall construction inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the blocks hereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal cross section, taken substantiallyon the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 4, showing amodification;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a footing excavationand disassembled levelling apparatus hereof;

FIGURE 7 shows the elements of FIGURE 6 following pouring of thefooting, and indicates the placement of an initial block thereon;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7,looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 9 is a detail sectional view onthe line 9-9 of FIGURE 8, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Proceeding to a more detailed description of the invention, the blockhereof is generally designated in the drawings by reference numeral 10,and the block is best shown per se in FIGURE 2. The block, for purposesof description, includes a main block body portion 12 havingsubstantially flat upper and lower sides 14, 16, respectively. Theblocks preferably have a plurality of cores 18 formed therein whichextend from the upper sides 14 to the lower sides 16 thereof.

The block body portion 12 further includes opposite ends 20 and 22 ofgenerally flat form, arranged substantially perpendicular to the sides.

Forward and rear facing elements 24 and 26 are fixedly secured(preferably by integral formation of the blocks as monoliths), to themain block body portion 12 and the facing elements are of enlargeddimension relative to the portion 12 and extend outwardly of the sidesandends thereof. Each element may, if desired, be decoratively coated asat 28, and each has upper and lower side edges 30, 32, and end edges 34,36.

The edges 30 and 32 of the facing elements project outwardly from thesides 14 and 16 and thus form flanges 38 with inwardly facing walls 40.The walls 40 and the sides 14 and 16 define mortar retention troughs 42along the upper and lower central block areas in a course thereof.

The facing elements further extend outwardly of the ends 20 and 22 ofthe blocks whereat they comprise flanges 43 of increased depth asindicated at 44 with inner walls 46. The inner walls 46 and ends 20-22define mortar retention pockets 48 at the central end areas of theblocks.

As shown in the drawings, the blocks are adapted for employment in awall construction W or the like, installed on a surface S. In sucharrangement, the blocks 10 are placed in courses C which may bestaggered. With the blocks in position, the mortar M occupies thetroughs and pockets, but is concealed from view and protected frommoisture and otherwise by the flanges 38 and 43. The end and side edgesof the facing elements are in close contact and present an appearance ofa monolithic structure to all but the closest inspection, and in fact,this close abutment of the end and side edges prevents the intrusion ofmoisture into the wall and into contact with the mortar M.

In FIGURE 5, a modified form of the block is disclosed. In thisembodiment of the invention, the upper side is flat and uniplanar. Asseen in the drawings, the uniplanar side is arranged adjacent a flangedside to provide a mortar pocket. The provision of a pocket with oneflat, uniplanar side permits manufacture of the blocks in certain typesof machinery wherein such feature is a requirement.

In the formation of walls employing blocks 10 of the type hereinbeforedescribed, it is quite important that the surface S on which the blocksare to be installed be level (or that the first course be levelled). Inorder to provide an initially level footing, the present inventionincludes a means for levelling of a footing during its installation.This means includes a plurality of grade stakes 200 each having agenerally flat top side 202 and preferably sharpened at its lower end204 to facilitate the driving of the stakes into the ground. The staketop sides have central slots 206 therein extending the full length ofthe top for a purpose appearing below.

Further included in the levelling means is a plurality of levellingplates 208 each comprising an elongated plate 210 formed preferably ofmetal or the like. Each plate has a central, longitudinal, dependingcrimp section 212, and side flanges 214, 216. As indicated in thedrawings, the plate is dimensioned to overlie the top side 202 of thestakes, with the crimp 212 occupying the slot 206 and the flanges 214,216, being engaged about the sides thereof.

In the use of this apparatus, an excavation 218 is first formed at thedescribed location of the footing. Stakes 200 are then driven into theground at the approximate center of the footing at longitudinally spacedlocations. The tops 202 of the stakes are thereafter levelled withrespect to one another as indicated in FIGURE 6 wherein, by way ofexample, a line 220 is extended along the top of each stake, and thestake tops are then driven into the ground to an extent such that alevelling device 222 indicates that the desired level coalignment of thetops has been achieved. With the stakes thus levelled, plates 208 areconnected thereto at required intervals to form an uninterrupted seriesthereof, nails 224 being driven through the erimps 212 and into thestakes to effect connection thereof. Thereafter, the level of the platesis again checked with a suitable instrument such as the spirit level222, and the aggregate material for formation of the footing block ispoured. Any flat tool of appropriate size is thereafter used to strikethe aggregate level with the top 210 of the plate, and the finishedfooting 226 is thus levelled with the previously levelled top of thestring of plates. This provides a top surface 228 for the footing towhich the blocks 10 or 100 may be applied directly without additionallevelling.

Having described and illustrated several embodiments of this inventionin some detail, it will be understood that this description andillustration have been offered merely by way of example, and that theinvention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wall construction:

a footing including a plurality of upstanding, earth engaging stakeelements arranged at spaced locations and having horizontally coalignedupper ends;

elongated plate means secured along the stake element upper ends, theplate means having a top surface arranged in a substantially uni-planarhorizontal line;

a concrete footing formed about the stake elements and subjacent theplate, the footing having an upper surface level with the top surface ofthe plate means;

the stake element upper ends having slots formed therethe plate meanshaving downwardly extending crimp sections fastened in engagement withthe slots;

the plate means having side flanges and embracing the upper ends of thestakes with the flanges extending over either side thereof;

a plurality of blocks arranged in courses, the blocks each including amain block body portion;

a plurality of enlarged facing elements secured to the main block bodyportions; and

the facing elements defining mortar retention areas.

2. In a wall construction:

a footing including a plurality of upstanding, earth engaging stakeelements arranged at spaced locations and having horizontally coalignedupper ends;

elongated plate means secured along the stake element upper ends, theplate means having a top surface arranged in a substantially uni-planarhorizontal line;

a concrete footing formed about the stake elements and subjacent theplate, the footing having an upper surface level with the top surface ofthe plate means;

the stake element upper ends having slots formed therethe plate meanshaving downwardly extending crimp sections fastened in engagement withthe slots;

the plate means having side flanges and embracing the upper ends of thestakes with the flanges extending over either side thereof;

a plurality of blocks arranged in courses, the blocks each including amain block body portion;

enlarged forward and rear facing elements secured on the main block bodyportion and extending outwardly from the sides and ends thereof toprovide outwardly extended flanges at the upper and lower sides of theblock;

the flanges being parallel with one another;

the flanges and sides defining mortar retention troughs extending alongthe upper and lower sides of each block;

the facing elements extending outwardly of the ends of the blocks toprovide end flanges thereby permitting the introduction of mortartherein following initial placement of the blocks; and

the flanges being in edge to edge contact to enclose mortar pockets andto present the appearance on a monolithic structure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS53,707 12/1910 Switzerland.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

A. C. PERHAM, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A WALL CONSTRUCTION: A FOOTING INCLUDING A PLURALITY OFUPSTANDING, EARTH ENGAGING STAKE ELEMENTS ARRANGED AT SPACED LOCATIONSAND HAVING HORIZONTALLY COALIGNED UPPER ENDS; ELONGATED PLATE MEANSSECURED ALONG THE STAKE ELEMENT UPPER ENDS, THE PLATE MEANS HAVING A TOPSURFACE ARRANGED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY UNI-PLANAR HORIZONTAL LINE; ACONCRETE FOOTING FORMED ABOUT THE STAKE ELEMENTS AND SUBJACENT THEPLATE, THE FOOTING HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE LEVEL WITH THE TOP SURFACE OFTHE PLATE MEANS; THE STAKE ELEMENT UPPER ENDS HAVING SLOTS FORMEDTHEREIN; THE PLATE MEANS HAVING DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CRIMP SECTIONSFASTENED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SLOTS;